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What is PDS4?

PDS4 is a revision to the PDS standards
for archiving, replacing PDS3 which had been in place
for many years. PDS4 is designed to produce higher
quality, more accessible archives using modern software
capabilities.

Both
PDS3 and PDS4
specify
the contents of a
quality archive,
including data,
documentation, and
ancillary material,
with metadata for
each product stored
in a PDS label.

PDS4
data types are
fewer, simpler, and
more rigorously
defined as compared to
PDS3. While PDS3
labels used a
keyword=value
format, PDS4 labels
are written in XML
(eXtensible Markup
Language), enabling
more complete and
consistent metadata,
and allowing the use
of existing XML
software tools.

Planetary missions
confirmed for flight
after November 1,
2011 are required to
archive in PDS4.
Active missions that
were archiving in
PDS3 before that
date have continued
to use the PDS3
standard. These
archives will be
converted to PDS4
according to the
PDS migration policy.
Proposals to new R&A
programs should
include archiving in
PDS4.